Steam Engine

An engines horsepower, in its most condensed definition, refers to the amount of horses it would take to perform the same function. At mankind’s present level of dependence on technology such a concept seems absurd, but at the beginning of the 17th century the literal equation of horsepower was used daily, especially in industry. With wind or water as the only alternative power sources, the use of load bearing beasts was inevitable. Wind is inconsistent and unreliable, whereas water was only plausible as a power utility in a fixed, topographically suitable location. Thus, horse power, in its most literal meaning, was a benchmark of 17th century industry. That is, of course, until the birth of an engine engineered to run on steam. The invention and implementation of an efficient steam engine sparked global industrial revolutions that defined economies. The concept of utilizing steam to produce power was not unheard of before the 17th century. The observation of steams potential to produce power was recorded as early as 130 BCE by Hero, the Elder of Alexandria. In his works titled Pneumatics, Hero observed that if one “places a caldron over a fire … a ball shall revolve on a pivot”. (Woodcroft, 1851) Some 1,613 years later the next reference to a machine operated by steam can be found in the works of a German Protestant Minister named Mathesius. Johann Mathesius ministered in Joachisussthal which was, in 1563, the largest silver mine in Europe. In his work Serepta, Mathesius “hints at the possibility of constructing an apparatus similar in its operation and properties to those of the modern steam engine.” (Ambrosius, 1936) From the time of Mathesius’ abstract mention of a steam powered engine, many engineers partook in reshaping and improving the engine. One of the best examples of this is an English military engineer named Thomas Savory. In 1699, Savory engineered a steam powered “pumping engine, essentially the same as the simple injector of today”...

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The Watt steamengine (alternatively known as the Boulton and Watt steamengine) was the first type of steamengine to make use of steam at a pressure just above atmospheric to drive the piston helped by a partial vacuum. Improving on the design of the 1712 Newcomen engine, the Watt steamengine, developed sporadically from 1763 to 1775, was the next great step in the development of the steamengine. Offering a dramatic increase in fuel efficiency, the new design replaced Newcomen engines in areas where coal was expensive, and then went on to be used in the place of most natural power sources such as wind and water. James Watt's design became synonymous with steamengines, due in no small part to his business partner, Matthew Boulton.
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It's common knowledge that modern civilization is forming in the factories of the industrial revolution. And these factories themselves are powered by the steamengine. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that steamengines lead in our modern age. But where did the steamengine come from? Who was the inventor of it? The steamengine is not so much invented as developed. To give credit to any person, would be to steal credit away from its many rightful owners. The steamengine is developing nowadays by three British inventors. The first steam powered machine was built by Thomas Savery, of England. Savery built his machine to help pump water out of coal mines. This machine is so simple that it has no moving parts. It also uses up lots and lots of coal just to pump a small quantity of water. Savery is the first person to find a practical way of using steam to perform useful work.
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...Speed of the SteamEngine Change America
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...The SteamEngine
"The wonderful progress of the present century is, in a very great degree, due to the invention and improvement of the steamengine, and to the ingenious application of its power to kinds of work that formerly taxed the physical energies of the human race."~Robert H. Thurston
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...the mechanization of agriculture and textile manufacturing and a revolution in power (steam ships and railroads, etc etc) and had a massive effect on social, cultural and economic conditions. The aspects that caused this type of change in the 1800’s England, were the economic success at the time, the political advancements, and the innovative technology. These all contribute to England’s advancement into the transformation into an industrial super power.
Starting with the Economy at the time, this paper will explain why England was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. In document one it is shown that England has many available resources, but not only that it is also shown that the canals where the resources would be traded on. This Document shows us a reason to why the economy was so successful in even the early 1700’s. In document four the same thing is stated but in quote form, the author states that England is so fortunate for it’s location and abundance of resources. Resources including wool, coal, and iron. Those resources are invaluable when it came to economic success. It would have been nice if there a document shown showing how the crude combustion and/or steamengine worked at the time. If they had given us that it could have clearly been seen , and explained how the abundance of coal and Iron played a major role in the young England’s being the first to use the steamengine. Without...